MCMINNVILLE — Keira McCarrell has been good at a lot of track and field events.
But at the Greater Valley Conference district track and field meet she was perfect.
The junior from West Salem High School won the 100 hurdles in a personal record of 15.89 seconds, the high jump in 5 feet, 4 inches, the javelin and anchored the winning 400 relay team Friday at McMinnville High School.
West Salem’s Keira McCarrell competes in the finals of the girls 100 meter hurdles at the Greater Valley Conference District Championships track and field meet at McMinnville High School on Friday, May 13, 2016. McCarrell placed first.
And her Titans relay team of junior Cari McCrae and freshmen Lucy Jolivette and Elisabeth Goodrich mowed down the school record.
“I’m so thankful that it was at districts that I excelled at all of my events,” McCarrell said. “My amazing 4 by 1 team, they were so compatible with me doing other events and having to rush and being scatter minded.
“Our girls, we did amazing today. We pulled out a new school record, which is amazing for having two freshmen on our team. It’s fantastic. We’ve been pushing for it for a long time. Also, I think as a team we’re having to fight this year for a district title and it’s changed our mentality a lot, and I love it because we’re all so much more aggressive and we just want that win.”
West Salem’s girls continued its strong run as the team of Goodrich, Brooke Chuhlantseff, Jolivette and McCrae by winning the 1,600 relay, senior Angela Mumford won the discus (117-8) and McCarrell’s sister, freshman Taylor McCarrell, won the district championship in the triple jump, the event in which she leads the state.
“It wasn’t my best mark, but I’m proud of myself that I could actually do it,” Taylor McCarrell said. “I was definitely scared, very intimidated because I was surrounded by a lot of good girls and just from the support from my teammates I did really well.”
West Salem junior Ahmed Muhumed completed a sweep of the distance races by winning the 1,500 to go along with his win in the 3,000 (8:44.98) from Thursday.
Muhumed let Forest Grove senior Murimi Nyamu lead the first two laps of Friday’s 1,500 then took over to win.
“I cared more about the time as well,” said Muhumed, who won the state championship in cross country in the fall. “You know what happens is someone is going to go out fast, you follow them and that kills your momentum or your pace.
“It isn’t about the beginning. It isn’t about who wins the first half of the race. It is about the finish. It is about who gets there, who gets there first. I knew when it comes down to the reality I was going to be out there. I waited for him to do the job for me and I picked up from there on. I knew I had him there. It was a fun race.”
Also for West Salem, junior Micah Masei won the pole vault (14-1) and senior Chase Lakin won the long jump (22-8.5).
West Salem’s Lucy Jolivette, from left, Rebekah Miller and South Salem’s Chloe Bryant compete in the finals of the girls 100 meter dash at the Greater Valley Conference District Championships track and field meet at McMinnville High School on Friday, May 13, 2016. Miller placed first, Jolivette second and Bryant third.
North Salem freshman Rebekah Miller pulled off an impressive sweep in winning the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
McKay sophomore Israel Garza also swept the sprint races, but had to work hard to do it.
West Salem’s Jacob Miller, left, and McNary’s Brendan Van Voorhis high-five after competing in the finals of the boys 400 meter dash at the Greater Valley Conference District Championships track and field meet at McMinnville High School on Friday, May 13, 2016. Van Voorhies placed first and Miller second.
After coming back from a poor start to pass Lakin and win the 100, in the 200 he found himself trailing 400 meter champion Brendan Van Voorhis of McNary coming to the final straightaway, but found a way to pass him with 30 meters left to win.
“I feel like I did make a statement,” Garza said. “I feel great. It motivates me to go into state and get a better place and a better time.”
South Salem sophomore Alex Sanchez pulled off an impressive upset in winning the shot put. His second throw of the competition at 48-2.5, held up to beat favored and discus winning Austin Kleinman of Sprague.
“So I noticed in my first throw my hand placement was a little off so I got all set up and I just moved my had a little bit for the shot and felt a little more comfortable,” Sanchez said. “I relaxed and went through my steps.”
South Salem senior Joseph Carey put together an impressive double, especially for someone known for his prowess in other sports.
Carey won district championships in the triple jump and 300 hurdles in his second year of the sport.
“I mean it’s nice obviously, but in high school my focus has been on other sports, basketball and football, but this is totally different for me,” Carey said. “It’s more of an individual thing, which has been kind of a weird step, but it’s cool. It’s really cool.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler